The present invention relates to confection products and more particularly to confection products including flavor powders formed from dahlia bulbs.
Chocolate confections made from roasted and ground cocoa beans have been a much desired food for both adults and children for many years. Chocolate liquors and cocoa powder are used to make coatings for other foods such as candies and small cakes to offer the chocolate flavor in a less expensive, more diluted form. As cocoa beans have become more expensive, the chocolate liquor has often been diluted with fats resembling cocoa butter and called confectioner fats to make the resulting chocolate coating less expensive. To further reduce the cost of the chocolate flavor, extenders such as roasted carob bean have been added as well as much sugar filler. Such a diluted form of chocolate, however, leaves much to be desired as to color, flavor, texture and mouthfeel.
In addition, a great many synthetic cocoas and coatings as well as synthetic chocolate flavors and colors are available. Roasts of cereal grains, yeast, flours, nuts, shells etc., have been suggested as having cocoa or chocolate flavors. Most of these materials must be considered as cocoa extenders as the suggested use is in conjunction with cocoa. The patent literature relating to such synthetic cocoas has recently been reviewed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,153 issued to Rikon. Rikon disclosed therein a cocoa substitute whose composition is similiar to cocoa but whose coloring and flavoring depends upon synthetics, roasts as given above or from natural cocoa itself.
All of the above are very inferior to natural cocoa or chocolate flavor and color. It would be a great advantage to the confection industry if a natural material could be found, especially a natural material that could be produced domestically, that would produce confection products having color, flavor and organoleptic properties similar to chocolate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,432 isued to Mitchell et al and having partially common inventorship as the present invention, disclosed a flavor powder produced from the roasted soluble extract or syrup of dahlia tubers as being useful for making beverages in hot or cold water or milk. Such flavor powders also compliment the flavor powders of coffee, tea or cocoa in blends used for making beverages.